Presentation topics at Miami Cosmetic Surgery

While Dr. Kaplan will be speaking on several topics that relate to BuildMyBod Health, his first presentation on Thursday morning is actually related to his day job as a plastic surgeon!

On Thursday, February 20th, he’ll discuss the technique he created, the Single Incision Minimally Invasive (SIMI) neck lift. This is a procedure that reduces the typical number of neck lift incisions from three to one. Most importantly, the two incisions eliminated in this procedure are the two longest and most unsightly. The incisions behind the ears.

He’ll show before and after photos of his own patients and results from his study in the peer-reviewed Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open journal.

Topics relating to price transparency, ie BuildMyBod Health

BuildMyBod Health is a revolutionary platform that takes a critically needed issue – price transparency in healthcare – and makes it more accessible for the consumer, and more palatable for the physician.

Consumers want to know their out of pocket costs for all healthcare services. Either because they’ll be paying out of pocket for a medically necessary service if they haven’t met their deductible or if it’s considered cosmetic. BuildMyBod Health allows the consumer to check pricing through the doctor’s website from the privacy of their mobile phone. In the process of checking pricing, they have to enter their contact info before submitting their “wishlist” of services.

The consumer instantly receives an email with a breakdown of costs delivered to their inbox. And the healthcare provider receives their contact info – a lead for follow up! Dr. Kaplan will show how this kind of give and take can benefit the doctor’s business.

On Thursday afternoon, Dr. Kaplan will talk about turning social media followers into consults. Since physicians are utilizing social media to create content and educate consumers, they want something to show for it! All of that content creation should generate clear, measurable results. Offering the opportunity for the social media follower to check pricing is the easiest way to capture their contact info.

How price transparency grew Dr. Kaplan’s newly purchased practice

Dr. Kaplan will also speak on his experience buying a practice in San Francisco. He will review statistical data on this transaction and how many patients he retained from the previous doctor. But he will also talk about how he used a Price Estimator on his website to grow his email database to over 10,000 potential patients in 6.5 years. And that will improve his valuation for a future sale!

If you’re in the Miami area this weekend and want to get your learn on, click here to register for MCS! And if you’re a healthcare provider that wants to use price transparency to generate leads, click here. And last but not least, if you’re a consumer that wants to check pricing from a doctor near you, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Dr. Kaplan speaking at Miami Cosmetic Surgery first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Whenever I discuss the concept of price transparency with other healthcare providers, the first thing they say is, “I don’t want to compete on price!” I simply don’t understand why the premise of price transparency automatically leads to the assumption that you have to compete on price.

Healthcare doesn’t follow the rules of a free market system

The idea of price transparency in healthcare is quite foreign. Historically, the healthcare industry has never been fond of showing their costs.

It’s partly due to the unusual arrangement between health insurance payors, the consumers (payers) and providers. In the past, insurance companies paid the charges submitted by providers after seeing a patient. This ultimately led to two epiphanies by the insurance industry.

First, at some point, insurance companies felt doctors were charging too much. And two, insurance executives realized that with so many beneficiaries (consumers) under their umbrella, they had the leverage to negotiate better terms for themselves (and poorer terms for providers). Meanwhile, the consumer’s premiums kept rising! Think about that: insurance providers pay out less per service/treatment provided by the doctor but somehow the consumer’s cost continues to rise.

The subsequent negotiations led to various contracts with each provider or healthcare entity (hospital, multi-specialty clinic or health system). And as with many contracts dealing with compensation, they’re considered a secret. Moreover, insurance companies consider these secrets protected by the Uniform Trade Secrets Act.

“…insurance providers pay out less per service/treatment provided by the doctor but somehow the consumer’s cost continues to rise.”

This is what the Trump Administration’s recent Executive Order and rules are trying to uncover – these negotiated rates. By pulling the curtain back and showing everyone what the rates are, consumers can make better financial decisions about their healthcare before, rather than after treatment.

Price transparency, not price wars

Since most providers (doctors, hospitals, multi-specialty clinics or health systems) don’t reveal their pricing, that means those of us who do can separate ourselves from the competition. Consumers want pricing information prior to purchasing any service. That’s how it is in every other sector of the economy. Buying a house or car? You want to know how much it costs ahead of time. That’s reasonable. That doesn’t make you a price shopper!

Just because you show your pricing doesn’t mean you have to compete on price. If others show their prices, could they be lower than yours? Certainly, that’s always a possibility. But that does not mean you are required to lower your price. There’s not an automatic “trigger” in place that requires you to begin a race to the bottom.

However, there’s a caveat to that resistance to lower your price: be prepared to substantiate your higher prices. If your prices are higher because of better customer service or more qualified professionals in your organization, great. That’s certainly worth the higher price if the consumer also places a premium on that experience.

Don’t compete on price, compete on quality

I recently served on a price transparency panel at this past Becker’s ASC meeting and one of my co-panelists, Andy Poole, CEO of Monticello Community Surgery Center, explicitly stated that you should commit to price transparency but compete on quality, not price. So he gets it!

In the end, offering price transparency online will allow you to stand out from your competition. It will give you a competitive edge. And it’s possible without lowering your prices.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Compete on price transparency, not price! [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Kaplan, owner of Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery (aka Real Dr. Bae on Instagram) is also founder of BuildMyBod Health. A price transparency platform. Dr. Kaplan continues his US speaking tour in San Diego this weekend at the AAFPRS 2019 International Symposium of Facial Plastic Surgery. This meeting is put on by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – the AAFPRS. He’ll be giving two talks and serving on two panels.

Talks at the AAFPRS 2019

Dr. Kaplan will speak on improving the patient experience with price transparency. This is an oldie but a goodie! He’ll discuss how doctors fear the complexity of price transparency but don’t realize what a huge patient satisfier it is.

With price transparency prior to the consultation, the patient is prepared. And therefore less likely to experience sticker shock. That’s an improvement to the patient experience!

The power of email marketing

In his second talk, Dr. Kaplan will explain why building your email database for marketing is so critical. He’ll talk about how his Google traffic dropped 62% but his revenue actually increased. That was because he had a strong social media presence and also because he built an email database of over 9,600+ people. That way, whenever he was ready, he could market directly to his target demographic for way less than digital advertising.

If you’re a doctors and want to learn more about BuildMyBod Health, click here. If you’re a patient that wants pricing information from a doctor near you, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post BuildMyBod Founder Speaking at AAFPRS 2019 first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

The effect of a price transparency executive order

Despite President Obama’s efforts with the “Unaffordable Care Act,” this Executive Order will actually have an effect on the cost of care. Obama simply extended Medicaid to more consumers, feeding the healthcare machine, but not altering the cost curve in the process.

By requiring healthcare providers to disclose their negotiated rates, consumers will be able to shop for quality, lower cost care. And by exposing healthcare to typical market forces, providers will have to compete on customer service and quality. But that’s not how rates are currently set because providers and insurers set their rates in secret.

This will directly affect providers of medically necessary services typically covered by insurance. But the Executive Order will also indirectly affect providers that may be outside of the purview of the new law. Why?

Even if the law only refers to the interactions of insurance companies, doctors, hospitals and their negotiated rates, this will change the mindset of the consumer. The consumer will now expect price transparency from all providers. They won’t make the distinction between medically necessary services  or cosmetic services. They won’t care if the doctor is out of network and has no negotiated rate with the insurance company. And they won’t care if the service was performed at an outpatient facility and not a hospital that may be affected by the Executive Order.

No, the consumer won’t consider any of that. They’ll simply assume all doctors, by law, should disclose their prices. So to appear credible in the eyes of the consumer, all doctors will need to be price transparent. Just like a doctor appears more credible if they have a Facebook or Yelp account, price transparency will convey legitimacy as well.

What should a provider do?

So, for providers that want to comply with this Executive Order and generate leads in the process, you can sign up for the BuildMyBod Health platform here. And for consumers interested in finding pricing from Dr. Kaplan, click here!

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post President Trump officially signs price transparency executive order first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

BuildMyBod Health founder, Dr. Jonathan Kaplan will speak at Becker’s 17th annual spine conference in Chicago. As one of the largest industry meetings that help hospitals and ambulatory surgery center’s (ASC’s) achieve first-in-class best practices, this is recognition of the new-found importance of price transparency in healthcare.

Becker’s Conference Agenda

BuildMyBod Health founder and plastic surgeon, Dr. Jonathan Kaplan will be discussing how price transparency can lead to better patient engagement.

With more consumers paying out of pocket for medically necessary services before meeting their deductible, these patients are increasingly behaving like cosmetic patients. Price sensitive. Choosing a doctor regardless of network. And to be competitive, physicians and physician practices need to capture these patients. This is the reality that cosmetic plastic surgeons have experienced for decades now. And so it’s not surprising that a plastic surgeon holds the key to engaging patients who are paying out of pocket for medically necessary services. Using pricing information as the “carrot” to engage the patient is a huge customer service opportunity!

The BuildMyBod Health platform allows consumers to check pricing on out-of-pocket services using a Price Estimator on the doctor’s website, but only after providing their contact info. This generates a lead for the doctor’s practice who can then navigate the consumer through the healthcare process.

Everyone wins!

BuildMyBod allows consumers to visit a doctor or facility’s website to view their various services. They can then add procedures-of-interest to their “wishlist” and after submitting their wishlist along with their contact info, pricing info is automatically and instantly downloaded and emailed to the consumer. The patient gets instant gratification in the form of out-of-pocket pricing information. The healthcare provider receives the consumer’s contact info – a lead. Everyone wins!

The need to know out-of-pocket healthcare costs is of rising importance because more consumers have high-deductible health plans. When you have to spend $5000 to $6000 out of pocket before your insurance kicks in, you want and need to know what various outpatient services like lab tests, colonoscopies and X-rays will cost because consumers will be shouldering more of those costs.

While BuildMyBod Health started with out-of-pocket pricing information for cosmetic services, they have expanded to medically necessary services. When paying thousands of dollars out of pocket, there’s no difference between a boob job and a full body MRI!

To check pricing on healthcare services from a doctor near you, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Dr. Kaplan speaking at Becker’s 17th Annual Spine Conference first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Makin’ it rain!

As you’ll see in the video below, Dr. Miami relies heavily on social media to generate a buzz and interest in his practice. As he explains, social media “makes it rain” with interested consumers and potential patients. The buzz results in patients inquiring about his services.

He has hundreds and thousands of inquiries every day. What do they all want to know? How much is this gonna cost me?! With so many leads, their call center would be overwhelmed if answering questions about cost was done manually. That’s why they direct them to their BuildMyBod profile page here.

This way, consumers can check pricing automatically. But to check price, they first have to provide their contact information. So Dr. Miami is essentially combining price transparency with lead generation! Something we call #PriceTransCAREncy! While social media may make it rain, BuildMyBod health is the bucket to capture that rain (leads)!

Video testimonial with Dr. Miami

Are you a provider and want a BuildMyBod account for yourself? Sign up here!

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Makin’ it rain with Dr. Miami! [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Sheila Nazarian of the Nazarian Institute and Nazarian Plastic Surgery recently sat down with us to explain why she focuses on building a large email database even though she has a huge Instagram following (@drsheilanazarian).

The world according to Dr. Sheila Nazarian!

While many doctors engage with their followers through social media, that engagement is very tenuous. Not because followers will stop following “their” doctor in mass. But as Dr. Nazarian explains in the video below, social media platforms like Instagram or Snapchat may change their algorithms. And when that happens, the doctor that the consumer is following may not appear as readily in the consumer’s feed. Sure they love their doctor, but “out of sight, out of mind” rings true in this situation.

A change in algorithm can turn a doctor’s successful social media experience into a nightmare overnight. The same can occur with an algorithm change within Google. One day the consumer can find a particular doctor with a Google search, the next day, they’re not listed on page 1. And even if it’s not a drastic change, any algorithmic change can adversely effect a doctor’s social media or web traffic.

Dr. Nazarian also points out another risk in relying too heavily on social media. What if it becomes a “pay to play” scenario. Currently anyone can be successful and grow their business on Instagram without paying to promote, or “boost” their posts. Compare that to Facebook Business pages. If a business posts something on Facebook and does not boost it, only 6% of their followers will see that post. And if the business has over 500,000 followers, only 2% of their followers will see an organic, non-paid post.

Facebook is already clearly pay to play for businesses. If Instagram does that, businesses will either have to pay dearly to continue connecting with their followers or choose another option.

Building your email marketing database

As Dr. Nazarian explains, using the BuildMyBod Health platform on her website has protected her, or at the very least, mitigated the damage that could be done by changes in algorithms or revenue streams in the future. By generating almost 2,000 unique leads in less than 2 years through the BuildMyBod Price Estimator alone, she can continue engaging with consumers even if there was a dreaded update.

The Price Estimator on her site allows the consumer to check pricing on her services after entering their contact info. They get instant gratification in the form of an email with a breakdown of costs, and she gets a lead. Those are leads from her target audience. An audience that includes tech savvy consumers interested in cosmetic services, who now have a realistic understanding of the financial costs of such cosmetic services.

Video of Dr. Nazarian, keeping it real

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Dr. Sheila Nazarian: you need your own email database! [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

While plastic surgeons may have made price transparency sexy, non-cosmetic doctors that have insurance-based practices can also utilize this concept. Price transparency can engage the consumer, generate leads and reduce sticker shock. In the process, price transparency can help separate a practice from the competition as Dr. Ibikunle describes in the video below.

But before you watch the video, check out how he uses a Price Estimator for his multi-specialty clinic in Georgia. The consumer can check pricing on bariatric services, cosmetic services and gynecological services.

Video testimonial from Georgia SurgiCare Dr. Ibikunle

To learn more about using a Price Estimator to generate leads and engage consumers, you can read more here.

And if you’re a doctor who wants to be on the leading edge of customer service and practice management, click here to find out how.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Using price transparency in bariatric surgery – Dr. Christopher Ibikunle [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Hey, before you get upset, we encourage you to leave comments about stupid sh*t that doctors say too! Because we know that even though patients say some silly things, we’re all capable! Also, try and keep a sense of humor about all of this.

Things patients say: I’m allergic to that pain medication – it makes me nauseated.

All pain medication has the potential of causing nausea on an empty stomach. That’s a side effect, not an allergy. This isn’t just semantics. It’s an important difference. An allergy can be a severe adverse reaction to a medication, like anaphylaxis, that could lead to death.

Will I have a scar after my operation?

Yes, everyone does. Silicone scar cream can help though.

Will the scar disappear after it heals?

No. It will fade but not disappear. Even if it’s a plastic surgeon doing the sewing, it won’t magically disappear.

Is this operation gonna hurt/be painful?

Yes. We’re cutting your skin. But your doctor can help you manage it.

Can I save money by not having an anesthesiologist during surgery?

Of all the things to skimp on, why would you want to skimp on the one person that makes your pain go away?! And remember, you were the one concerned about pain after surgery in the previous bullet point!

The only pain medication that works for me is oxycontin!

Thank you for alerting us all to the fact that you may have an opioid problem. We’ll need to address this proactively to avoid postop issues and misunderstandings.

I read on Google that…

Don’t confuse your Google degree with our medical degree!

If you’re a patient and you’re offended, take a deep breath and leave a comment below of stupid sh*t doctors say!

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Stupid sh*t patients say first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

For every healthcare provider out there, there’s 10,000 consumers perusing their website. They’re looking for something and hoping the doctor has the answer. At the same time, the doctor is hoping to capture that patient. To do so, they’ll put various ‘call to action’ buttons or links on their site. Schedule Online! Book Now! Big buttons, blinking buttons, buttons that cascade from the top to the bottom of the screen! ‘Chat with Someone’ they promise! But none of those call to action buttons are what the consumer is looking for. What are they looking for? Get a quote now!

Why John (or Jane) Q. Public wants a Get A Quote Now button

Every consumer, especially those paying out of pocket for a healthcare service because it’s cosmetic or because they haven’t met their deductible, wants to know how much it’s gonna cost them. That’s right, they want a “Get A Quote Now” button like the one above. It’s so simple and obvious but at the same time, healthcare providers the nation over are resisting.

Here are just 5 of the benefits of a Get A Quote Now call to action button:

1. Stands out
2. Easy to direct people to
3. People love clicking buttons!
4. The consumer knows exactly what they’re getting when they click on it
5. It’s easily recognizable and attention grabbing on social media

The current President’s Administration is now pushing for the publication of negotiated rates between hospitals and insurance companies. So price transparency is coming. Don’t put your head in the sand. Offer price transparency but get something in return!

That’s why the BuildMyBod Health Price Estimator is a win-win for everyone. The consumer gets actionable pricing information and the healthcare provider gets their contact info for follow up.

If you’re a patient and want to know pricing from Dr. Kaplan, click here. If you’re a healthcare provider looking to provide pricing on your site with the BuildMyBod Health Price Estimator and get patient leads in return for providing pricing info, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Five reasons why a Get A Quote Now button rocks! first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

There are two sides to lead generation. The business has to provide something of value in exchange for a consumer’s contact info. And the consumer has to want something badly enough to motivate them to leave their contact info. When it comes to lead generation in healthcare, that “something” is cost.

The good news is that in such a price-opaque field like healthcare, the consumer will gladly hand over their contact info for a price estimate. Unfortunately the doctor or healthcare facility’s resistance and hesitancy to offer pricing info is still well-entrenched.

Pricing is the key to lead generation in healthcare

If you’re considering buying a new car or house, you wouldn’t go to the dealership or open house without an idea of the cost. No need to waste your time and end up experiencing sticker shock. Healthcare should be no different. But it is. There are varying reasons the healthcare establishment hides pricing from the public. Fear that competitors will undercut another doctor’s prices. Concern that with all of the associated costs, it will further confuse the patient in an already confusing time in their lives.

But pricing can also be a huge consumer satisfier, leading to great customer service. The consumer knows this. That’s why they’ve lowered their mental barrier or resistance to providing their contact info in return for pricing through the BuildMyBod Health Price Estimator found on a doctor or facility’s website. Because pricing is so tantalizing, more consumers are open to the idea of providing their contact info when they otherwise wouldn’t. Again, while they may not “turn over” their contact info to download your boring e-book or receive your email newsletter, they’ll do it to determine pricing prior to their consultation.

Why the healthcare provider should lower their mental barrier to price transparency

Keep in mind that because a Price Estimator lowers the mental barrier for the consumer to provide their contact info, you’ll generate a ton of leads…many from folks at the top of the funnel, ie just starting their research and not yet ready to come in for a consultation. But that’s ok because you’re capturing them early. Allowing you to establish a relationship early on and nurture that relationship through the sales funnel. And hopefully you’ll capture them in your funnel before your competition even knows they exist!

So don’t be angry if every lead doesn’t come in. This is a numbers game. When you generate more leads than ever before, from the exact audience you want to generate leads from, you’ll ultimately grow your practice with patients that are price aware and less likely to experience sticker shock. That means more will progress from the exam room to the operating room – to the tune of 41% more likely!

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Lowering the mental barrier to lead generation in healthcare first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

The Ohio Surgery Center recently started using a Price Estimator on their website. But it’s different than how most other surgery centers are implementing price transparency.

Most surgery centers simply list a menu of cash prices

There are 2 problems with this.

1. What if the consumer is using their insurance and need to know the allowable they may be expected to pay? That would be different than the cash price listed on the site.
2. Anyone can see these cash prices. So the surgery center has no way of knowing who is looking at them. Therefore, they have no way of following up to assist the consumer in navigating them through the healthcare process.

With the Price Estimator on the Ohio Surgery Center’s website, both of these problems are addressed:

1. The consumer can first choose their insurance plan that the Surgery Center accepts so they can see what their allowable is because they’ll probably be paying out of pocket if they haven’t met their deductible and…
2. The consumer must first provide their contact info before they are instantly and automatically sent an email with a breakdown of their out of pocket costs.

Because of this, the Ohio Surgery center has received 28 leads in the last 2 months through this one lead generation source. How many leads does a surgery center that just lists their prices get? Who knows because the consumer doesn’t have to enter their contact info to see the price! They’re just giving the milk away for free.

With consumers becoming more sophisticated when it comes to asking about their financial responsibility, more consumers will search for care that’s affordable without cutting quality, even if it’s outside of their network. It will be ever more important for surgery centers to capture the consumer’s contact info.

Surgery centers that simply list their prices will find themselves on the wrong side of history. Those that recognize the importance of combining lead generation with price transparency will be the ones to watch in their community. #PriceTransCAREncy

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Be on the right side of history when it comes to price transparency first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.